Player Updates

McKenry is retiring from pro baseball in order to pursue an opportunity to work on the Middle Tennessee State University baseball team's staff, the Daily News Journal reports.

The veteran backstop alluded to the fact that he had multiple offers to continue his playing career, but he said he made a personal decision to leave the game on his own terms. He'll now take over as the MTSU's director of player development. In seven seasons in the big leagues, McKenry hit .238 with 29 home runs in 311 games played.

McKenry was reassigned to minor-league camp Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The veteran backstop had no realistic shot of making the 25-man roster with a plethora of candidates (Luke Maile, Curt Casali and Jesus Sucre) already ahead of him before the Rays added Derek Norris. McKenry had hit just .125 with two doubles and two RBI over 36 spring plate appearances.